Project SUITE: Nissan and Easelink build the first automated AC Vehicle-to-Grid operation in the UK

• Field data shows: inconsistent plug-in behaviour remains a key barrier to scalable Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) services.
• Automated charging eliminates driver dependency and maximizes the connection time of electric vehicles (EVs) with the grid.
• Nissan and Easelink collaborate to leverage V2G potential by automating the EV – grid connection.
  

Engineers at Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) and Easelink are combining bidirectional AC charging with automated conductive charging technology in a UK-based research project that requires no driver interaction. Nissan’s experience from V2G deployments globally is combined with Easelink’s Matrix Charging^® technology.

NTCE leads a £10 million Government-backed research project that will fundamentally change how electric vehicles are charged, powered and experienced. The recently announced Project SUITE (Smart Use of Integrated Technology for EVs – Press Release) will deliver a host of breakthrough technologies that will transform the EV ecosystem. One of them is a bidirectional Automated Charging Device (ACD), namely Matrix Charging from Easelink, for Vehicle-to-Grid connections in real world conditions, improving access to V2G charging and delivering hands-free accessibility of EV charging while maintaining a connection to the grid.

Inconsistent plug-in behaviour limits V2G – automated charging closes the gap

With more than 40 V2G projects deployed globally over the past decade, NTCE has accumulated substantial field data on the real-world barriers to grid integration. A consistent finding across deployments: the higher an EV state of charge, the less likely the driver is to plug in while parking. This behaviour creates unpredictable vehicle availability, limiting utilities and grid operators to rely on EV batteries as a responsive energy resource, particularly when grid demand peaks. Closing this gap requires removing the dependency on driver action entirely. An automated plug-in solution ensures that the vehicle connects to the grid whenever it is parked regardless of battery state and thereby transforming EVs into predictable and valuable grid-supporting energy assets. Analyses indicate that through the automation of the charging connection and the resulting near-continuous availability of the vehicles, the commercial returns from V2G participation can be drastically increased.

Easelink’s Matrix Charging^® technology enables fully automated, conductive bidirectional AC charging without cables and without any action required from the driver. The system consists of two components: a Matrix Charging^® Connector integrated into the vehicle’s underbody, and a Matrix Charging^® Pad installed at the parking space. When the vehicle parks above the pad, a flexible bellow is automatically lowered down establishing the conductive charging connection.

The UK research project marks the first deployment of automated charging technology within an AC V2G environment globally. Nissan has long standing experience in this field, conducting a lengthy Field Operation Test (FOT) and the first to receive certification for AC V2G operation in the country. The SUITE project is already underway using the all-new 100% electric Nissan LEAFs as vehicles, turning today’s vehicles into proving grounds for tomorrow’s mobility.

Ensuring Interoperability: The Matrix Charging Interest Group

In parallel with the project deployment, Nissan and Easelink are co-founding members of the Matrix Charging Interest Group (MCIG), alongside Audi, and Voyah. The MCIG was established to harmonize the technical specifications and interface parameters that govern Matrix Charging^® implementations across different vehicle brands and markets.

This work directly complements the ISO 15118-20 communication standard relevant for V2G, which defines the communication protocol between EVs and charging infrastructure. While individual OEM implementations of the standard are technically compliant, differences in interpretation can result in systems that are individually certified but mutually incompatible. In terms of automated EV charging, the MCIG addresses this by aligning key parameters across manufacturers in parallel with platform rollouts by reducing integration complexity and accelerating cross-industry compatibility as automated charging scales globally.

Both initiatives, the V2G project and MCIG, address a common challenge: EVs remain an underused energy resource when grid connection is unreliable. Automated charging increases the reliability and frequency of connection. This improves the commercial viability of V2G services, lowers EV ownership costs, enhances user experience, and increases predictability for utilities and grid operators investing in bidirectional infrastructure.

Nissan’s centre of excellence for the research and development (R&D) of vehicles manufactured across Nissan’s European production plants and beyond. A central player in Nissan’s global operations, NTCE in Cranfield is R&D’s European HQ, and has helped elevate Nissan’s market position with the development of vehicles and technologies that meet the needs of customers.Powered by a team of highly skilled engineers and researchers, NTCE sits at the crossroads of Nissan’s new product development process, transforming sketches and clay model concepts into production reality. Since NTCE’s inception, it has launched 33 models in Europe and beyond, including Nissan Qashqai equipped with e-POWER, Juke Hybrid and the all-new Nissan LEAF.

Easelink is a high-tech company headquartered in Graz, Austria, and dedicated to development of the automated conductive charging solution “Matrix Charging^® ” for electric vehicles. With its Matrix Charging^® technology, Easelink enables fully automated vehicle parking and charging without any manual intervention. The solution combines high energy efficiency with a scalable and cost-efficient system architecture and is protected by more than 90 patent applications worldwide. When combined with bidirectional charging (Vehicle-to-Grid), Matrix Charging^® unlocks new potential for grid stabilization, load management and the integration of renewable energy sources.